1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to fish holding means and more particularly to improvements in collapsible fish traps and the like.
2. Prior Art
Collapsible fish traps or pens are utilized to keep fish in an alive and unimpaired state until used, either as bait or as food, etc. Collapsible traps are characterized by a wire chain or mesh construction reinforced with metal rings and defining a central fish-holding chamber with access thereto through a collapsible neck portion with an open upper end above the chamber. Usually a trap door is disposed at the bottom of the neck to prevent the trapped fish from swimming up and out of the chamber into, up and out of the neck. When the trap is hung in the water from the side of a boat or dock, the trap is mainly in the uncollapsed state. However, wave action, handling during insertion of a fish into the trap through the neck, etc. can cause the neck to partially collapse, making the trap difficult to handle and restricting the opening at the trap's upper end. Moreover, the trap can hang so far into the water that the trap door at the bottom of the neck may be difficult to reach to open in order to gain access to the fish holding chamber. In addition, if the trap while in the water inadvertently becomes detached from its mooring at the dock or boat, it will sink out of sight and be lost, together with the fish trapped therein which then die in an inhumane manner.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide improvements in collapsible fish traps which would prevent loss of the traps by sinking or otherwise, and which also would increase the ease and convenience of use of the traps.